Aftermath
by patheticnemesis
Summary: Ed and Al celebrate the anniversary of Al's restoration. A Round Robin for yfandom on LJ. Based in Bro-hood verse, though Al retains that sexy long hair of his. Elricest.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaim-her: Nope-y nope. None of it's mine._

**So this is a Round Robin fic that was done by michechu, myself and flirtyalphonse for yfandom over on LJ. If you're a writer who'd like to hone your skills and be part of a diversecommunity, please join! We'd love new members!**

**I'll post this chapter by chapter. The first part was done by michechu - head to her journal and leave her some love; she's a wonderful writer. I'll link the original entry at the bottom of the page.**

...

There were certain advantages to having such a close bond with his older brother.

Close enough that, on occasion, no words were needed to express what the other was thinking, what he wanted, or what he felt. Al certainly had enough practice just watching Ed for telltale signs of strain and discomfort when his brother was too stubborn and proud to admit it, and Ed- well, Ed was Ed, and he knew his baby brother inside and out.

Not that Al was particularly good at hiding things from anyone, much less his older brother.

So it wasn't surprising that sometime during their travels, when Al was capable of being no more expressive than a desk lamp, that Ed just knew when Al's feelings towards his brother turned into something that wasn't quite familial anymore. Somehow Ed could see right through the unfeeling mask of his armor and into the soul that was bound to it.

Had it been anyone else, Al would have felt uneasy at being so exposed, but this was his brother- and he couldn't imagine being uncomfortable with Ed.

They never spoke about it, and it never seemed to disturb Ed; rather than shying away, his brother actually seemed, at times, to be actively encouraging Al's infatuation. They were little gestures that would have been overlooked by anyone else- Ed would choose to sit beside Al on the train rather than across from him, or curl up against the armor when they had to sleep outdoors.

It was at the expense of Ed's own comfort, of course; more than once Al had to peel his shivering form away from the cold armor that leeched heat from his body.

It was a bittersweet period in Al's life. It didn't seem fair; Ed was placating him, and at times Al cursed the fact that Ed could so easily warm the heart that he didn't have when Ed didn't return his feelings. But somewhere along the line, somewhere between the cuddling and being a doting older brother- Ed did.

It seemed to take even his brother by surprise. Those moments of closeness were no longer just because Al wanted it; Ed wanted it, and Al could still recall the swell of elation he felt when he first recognized his own longing being reflected back at him through golden eyes.

At first Al had been afraid that Ed would begin to pull away- it was one thing to be close to Al when it was an act of reassurance, to let his baby brother know that he didn't think he was weird or disgusting, and another when those desires were his own.

Ed didn't pull away, however; instead his advances went from being borderline platonic to something more amorous. Cuddling turned into soft kisses placed on the palm of Al's gauntlets, and sleeping near each other turned into hushed promises. And though Al couldn't feel Ed's lips or the warm breath against his neck, he would never forget the way he felt in those moments.

Still, they never spoke about it; they didn't need to, as far as Al was concerned. Some things just didn't need to be expressed in words.

Al used to think his love for his brother was overwhelming when he was in the armor; but then Al got his body back, and he felt the full force of that love. Felt his breath catch in his throat when Ed smiled a certain way, felt his heart flutter that first night in his hospital bed when his brother held his hand, and for the first time in five years he knew what it felt like to be alive.

The first six months of his rehabilitation were dizzying, to say the least. Ed had used up all five years of his accumulated military leave taking care of him in the first two, but by then Al had gained some of his weight back and could get around with the aid of his crutches.

It took another month for Ed to stop fighting Mustang for more time off- despite Al's insistence that he was strong enough to function on his own, Ed's overprotective nature went into overdrive and he baulked at the idea of leaving Al alone in the house.

He'd almost lost his mind the one afternoon when he came home from work to find that Al had slipped and fallen down the stairs. Though Al had only sustained a few bumps and bruises, it was all he could do to keep Ed from forcing him to wear protective gear the next morning.

Ed had been afraid to push him too far during those first few months, and they both agreed to take their relationship slow- because, brothers or not, there were some things they just weren't ready for. So when shy kisses turned heated and nervous hands started wandering, one or both of them would always put a stop to it before things went too far.

Al had to admire their self-restraint to have lasted this long, because while their hearts weren't ready, their bodies most certainly were.

He sighed and grasped the edges of the bathroom sink, staring at his reflection in a mirror that was fogged over with steam from his shower. He could hear his brother puttering around in the kitchen downstairs, because Ed had insisted on cooking dinner- even took a day off from work- because today was special.

Today marked one year since Al had gotten his body back. And Ed's right arm, which Al stubbornly insisted was just as important even if Ed didn't see it that way.

Ed had stared at him in bemusement when Al voiced that particular belief. "We're not going to celebrate my arm, Al. I could have lived without it. You couldn't live without a body."

"I seem to recall doing a pretty good job of it for five years."

"What kind of life would that have been, Al?!"

"A good one," and Al had wrapped his arms firmly around Ed's waist, pressed a smile against his neck. "A good one."

Ed had snorted in disbelief.

Al ran his fingers through his damp hair- it was longer than Ed's, now, but Al absolutely refused to cut it. The hedonist in him liked the way the strands tickled his skin, but now he pushed it aside and turned so that he could look at his back in the mirror.

Ed wasn't the only one who had something special planned for today.

Red ink stood out starkly against his skin, and Al touched the back of his neck gingerly- the tattoo was freshly healed but still a bit tender. It had been difficult finding someone to do it without Ed's consent- one of the downsides of having a lover who was also his de-facto guardian- and even more of a pain to hide it from Ed afterwards, but the results were beautiful, and while Al didn't like sneaking around behind Ed's back, he didn't regret it.

He only hoped that Ed would see the gesture for what it was, rather than sending his brother spiralling into a bout of guilt and self-hatred.

Ed surveyed the kitchen with a shrewd eye, taking inventory of the ingredients laid out on the counter and mentally going through the recipe one more time.

Cooking, as it turned out, was very much a type of chemistry; Ed quickly found that he enjoyed it, although his meticulous nature was frequently the cause of late dinners and an impatient Al whining at him over the sound of his growling stomach. The results were always worth it, though, so it wasn't unusual for Ed to be the one to supply their meals.

Tonight was different, though.

Different because everything had been carefully selected weeks in advance. Different because Ed went out of his way to find the freshest ingredients and agonized over the best combination of spices. Different because he'd all but sold his soul to the bastard Colonel for his best red wine because no one would sell alcohol to a seventeen-year-old boy.

It had to be perfect. Ed wouldn't accept anything less.

He looked over his ingredients again. Salmon, check. Asparagus, check. Potatos, check. Everything was there and ready to be prepared- so Ed went to work, filleting the fish with a skilled hand.

Since he got his body back, Al had developed a taste for spicy food, so Ed seasoned it with chili powder and cumin. The wine was spiced, too- a recommendation by Mustang, who asserted that most red wines did not go well with fish. The potatos were boiled and mashed, seasoned with garlic and butter, and the asparagus was roasted to Ed's satisfaction.

The dinner had to be perfect, but Ed had no ulterior motives. If most of his chosen ingredients just so happened to be well known aphrodisiacs, that was just a coincidence. The sinful double chocolate cake he'd bought at the bakery was just a sinful double chocolate cake, not a trigger for phenylethylamine, and the spicy food was definitely not an attempt to speed Al's heart rate up and cause him to sweat.

It was all perfectly innocent.

Ed paused in the process of transferring the food to serving dishes and rubbed the bridge of his nose, frustrated. He was trying to lie to himself, for fuck's sake.

A year was long enough, wasn't it? They'd agreed to take things slowly, and they had- Ed was, for the most part, just as apprehensive about taking their relationship to a sexual level as Al was at the time. Still was, in a way, but only because he felt so nervous and inexperienced.

But Al was just as inexperienced as he was, and they'd always been together when they jumped head first into the unknown before. This wasn't so different, was it?

It was, and Ed knew it, because while he was most definitely ready- was Al?

The last thing he wanted to do was push Al into something he didn't want, and that was the thought that terrified him. If Al caught on to his intentions, would he feel pressured to do something that he wasn't ready for?

Ed didn't like that possibility.

He shook his head and went about setting the table. No, tonight was for celebrating, and they were going to have a nice dinner and feel proud of their accomplishments. Whatever happened after that, happened.

Ed placed the wine on the table, straightened- caught himself fussing with his hair like a girl and cursed- and went to find his brother.

...

**Link (remove ze spaces): elricest . livejournal 815199 . html**

**The next section, done by moi, will be posted ASAP.**


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: Don't wanna. But to save myself from legal torture, I thusly disclaim._

**My contribution! This is where the M rating comes in. I can see you all squirming in uncontrollable joy at the prospect. Perves. **

**:D**

...

"Al! Dinner's ready, come down when you're done."

The knock at the door startled him from his contemplation of the ink splashed across his skin, and Al whisked around with a start. He couldn't remember how long he'd been standing there daydreaming, but the steam was starting to make his skin uncomfortably damp. Quickly, he dried himself off and dressed, valiantly ignoring the butterflies that were storming through his stomach. Several deep breaths later and he knew he was as ready as he'd ever be. For whatever was to come.

Dinner looked and smelt marvellous. Al often found it surreal that his brother could cook; his brother who's temper was shorter than he was vertical (not that he'd e_ver _say that out loud). But the delicate balance of spices and textures that accompanied the dishes Ed created was always something to look forward to – and Al could hardly be jealous of this apparent prowess when he usually reaped the benefits himself.

The sight of his brother leaning against the back of his chair waiting for him was just as, if not even more marvellous. Ed had gone to some lengths to find a few candles, and the gentle glow highlighting the contours of his cheeks and neck – places Al _loved _to scatter kisses along – may have been strategic. Sometimes Al really wasn't sure whether Ed was a master manipulator, or if he was simply ignorant.

From an objective point of view, the whole scenario looked as if it _was_ an attempt to seduce, from the bottle of wine to the fact Ed was wearing – was that silk? When had he bought a silk shirt? Al caught his fingers twitching with the need to sate his curiosity, preferably ending with skin being more readily available in the process. Almost immediately Al's mind had conjured up an image of Ed lounging in a chair, shirtless and watching Al with those smouldering eyes while running one languid finger down the middle of his chest to disappear inside the waistband of those sinful leather pants.

The butterflies had turned rabid with hormones. But Al was nothing if not contained; Ed had obviously put in quite a bit of effort, and Al was going to sit back and let the attention go to his head for once. He wouldn't feel guilty for letting himself be pampered.

Ed was watching him closely, and Al couldn't help but blush when the other raised an eyebrow and smirked, apparently having caught where Al's eyes had been riveted for the past minute and a half. But he merely sat down and started serving up the various dishes, prompting Al to join him with a relaxed flick of the hand.

It was a truly decadent experience. Al hardly ever drank alcohol, and then only the cider that Granny Pinako made from the yearly apple pickings, so the wine, subtly spiced, was thoroughly enjoyed. The smooth slide as it went down, mixing with the heat of the chili-seasoned salmon was a novel sensation, one Al wouldn't mind repeating. Nor would he mind a repeat of the chocolate cake Ed placed in front of him for dessert – chocolate was one of his greatest weaknesses, and Ed must have known how well that would be received.

Given how luxurious he was feeling right now, Al was thus ready to toss that ignorance theory to the wind.

Conversation had ebbed and flowed as the meal progressed. But now, when they'd cleared the table and were washing the dishes – Al had adamantly ignored Ed's protests as he picked up the dishrag to dry; there was only so much pampering he could stand without doing _something _to help, after all – tense silence reigned.

Both of them knew there were only two conclusions to this night. And both had their preferences.

Al carefully folded the dishrag over the oven handle, aware that Ed had stilled beside him and was leaning against the sink in that suggestive way he did. The butterflies, having disappeared sometime during dinner, returned with a vengeance, made all the more violent by the shiver racing along Al's spine as Ed came to stand a hair's-breadth behind him. His brother's breath was warm against the back of his neck, drifting slowly along the surface, and the slight caress caused Al to sigh when it came into contact with the sensitive area surrounding the fresh tattoo.

…the fresh tattoo.

Oh no.

Al's gut clenched in a most un-sexy way as the thought finally registered. His hair was in its regular ponytail which exposed the skin to the open, and that meant –

"Al. What. Is that."

_Busted._

Actively trying not to hyperventilate was much harder than Al had thought. Mechanically he turned, only to find Ed watching him with his arms crossed and body rigid with shock and disapproval – and guilt. The previously tense atmosphere was now tense for an entirely different reason.

Al had feared this would happen, rightfully so, it seemed. The predictability, however, unsuspectingly gave him a flash of anger.

It was so _typical _of Ed not to see below the surface when it came to Al. No matter how well he _knew _Al, he could be so stubborn at times it made Al want to rage at the ceiling. The indignation he was feeling gave Al the courage to say what he knew was needed.

"It's a tattoo, brother – don't interrupt. I want to say this now." Ed closed his mouth with a frown, obviously disgruntled. But it was a victory for Al when he merely turned his head away with a grunt.

The fight drained out of him with that simple acquiescence. Al exhaled shakily. He couldn't stay angry at his brother for long, not when he could practically_ taste _the self-deprecation Ed was subjecting himself to. Shyly, he stepped forward and nestled himself into Ed's shoulder, grateful when after a moment Ed wrapped an arm around his waist.

"I know you always think that my body being lost was entirely your fault. But it wasn't – because I wanted it too. I _wanted _Mom back, and I made the choice to do _anything_ to make that happen. Same as you. I accepted that it might have consequences, and I was prepared for that risk. I don't know how many times I'll have to tell you this to make you believe me. D'you think you ever will?"

Ed sighed tiredly above him. Too nervous to look directly at him, Al instead buried his head further into the crick of his brother's neck. His voice, when it came again was muffled both with emotion and by the skin his lips pressed against.

"I wanted to recreate the seal as a symbol of the shared sacrifice we gave. It took both of us, Ed. And maybe it failed, but it also lead to this – to us; being together and being strong for each other. Please, _please _don't look at it as some kind of reminder of a mistake you made. Please…"

His voice trailed off, and Al clung to his brother with both arms. Ed would be able to read what Al was trying to say better if he didn't use words.

And it seemed he had, because before Al could blink he was being crushed in a tight embrace, Ed's husky voice in his ear whispering his name like a mantra. Sagging with relief, Al let himself be held as all the pieces which made him _him_, fell inexorably into place. He felt finally complete.

Steadily, while minutes trickled by and they remained pressed together, the anticipation crept back into Al's mind. His body, the entire length moulded as it was to Ed's, began to heat as his thoughts once more turned to showing Ed exactly how much Al needed him. Wanted him.

The fact that a hand not his own was sliding along his hip in a barely-there stroke alerted him to the idea he might not be the only one desperately trying to keep his libido from virtually exploding.

"Brother…?"

When Ed raised his head, eyes locking with deadly hunger on Al's own gaze, he realised with an excited jolt just how much Ed was holding back. The other's stare was fevered, glazed over with love and desire, seemingly stripping him right where he stood.

And Al was very much down with that. Their lips brushed fleetingly, burning a fiery trail through Al's passion clogged nerves.

Ed's fingers had found the soft skin of his lower back, his tongue was flickering, serpentine, against his top lip, and it all appeared designed to drive Al wild. So he obeyed.

Self-control was overrated, anyway.

Their kisses were bruising and desperate as they stumbled towards their shared bedroom, injury narrowly avoided as they careened uncaringly down the hallway. Al would later try to recall how their clothes rapidly became casualties of their passion, but at the time all he was aware of was the unparalleled sensation of Ed's body, a mesh of paradoxes – flesh and metal, soft and hard, strong and vulnerable – atop his own.

That first time was irresistible in its intensity. Often instinct was their only guide, neither brother having had previous experience of this kind – Al hadn't had the opportunity, and Ed, stubbornly loyal, had waited til that chance was given to his love. But the clumsiness of their caresses resonated deeper with the two than any sure touch might have, because the discovery, like everything in their lives, was shared. _Equally_, as it should be.

Yet, for all he'd fantasised about these moments, nothing could really have prepared Al for the purely _connected _feeling he faced when Ed finally entered him. The previous pleasures of having Ed's mouth, tongue and lips practically worship him, even having his fingers torturously massaging his prostate – both sensations _fucking_ _brilliant – _could not compare to that perfect burst of stillness that had come when Al stared up into the flushed, awed face of his soul-mate, fully within him at last.

If Al were at all religious, he'd compare it to finding God. For him, it was a phenomenon.

The pain of it brought tears to his eyes, but Ed must have seen that they weren't tears of suffering; rather joy that he had been given the chance to _feel _all this, their earthly link as well as the merging of their souls. Blood might have related them, but it was the thread which bound their spirits tightly together that meant the most. To have their bodies fused in the same way – Al thought it was monumental. As it was, he could do nothing but cling to Ed as he moved, the primal dance swiftly overtaking them both.

Unsurprisingly, neither brother lasted long, what with the months of restriction and the magnitude of all the different sensations coalescing. Before he fell into dreamless sleep after _the _most magnificent orgasm _ever, _Al wondered if every time would be as epic as the first.

He _really _hoped so.

...

**As soon as flirtyalphonse has her part done, I'll be sure to post the conclusion. Hopefully I've captured someone's interest and you'll consider joining yfandom - the challenges are pretty darn cool, if nothing else.**


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: Nope._

**This is the last section of our RR. Please follow the link at the bottom to leave a review/various emoticons for flirtyalphonse, the authoress. She also has an account here at , so PMing is also an option.**

...

When Edward finally opened his eyes, the first thing his vision focused on was the fresh tattoo on the back of Alphonse's neck shown off between strands of long, dirty blonde hair. Edward took in a deep breath, carefully moving the dirty blonde locks out of the way to finally look at the tattoo for the very first time. The rune was of various shades, a gradient of ruby red to represent dried blood—Edward's blood—making Al's tattoo a bit too realistic for Edward's liking.

In the back of his mind, he vaguely wondered who the hell desecrated his baby brother's body with red ink but, nonetheless, he could not necessarily look at the blood seal with contempt anymore. Instead, he chose to put faith in Alphonse's reasoning for getting it in the first place and the fact that it had lead them to this point in their lives. They were together, in more ways than one.

Edward wrapped one of his arms around his brother's waist and snuggled closer by resting his face on Al's back. Warmth enveloped him in the form of blankets and heat emanating from Alphonse's body, causing Edward to let out a blissful sigh. Waking up next to Alphonse like this made the morning absolutely perfect even more so than any time in the past.

"Brother?" Sleep was still evident in his A's voice. Alphonse stirred next to him, craning his neck to look at Edward.

"Morning, Al..." Edward offered a small smile, moving back on his side of the bed to give Alphonse some space.

"Good morning." Alphonse replied, sitting up on his elbows, blinking away the last remnants of his slumber. "How long have you been awake?"

"Uh." Edward ran his hand through his disheveled hair, looking away in embarrassment as if he had just been caught red handed doing something wrong. "A while, I think?" But Edward wasn't embarrassed in the sense that he had been caught but the fact that this moment was the aftermath of having sex for the first time and he didn't want to ruin it for either of them.

"A while?" Alphonse looked at Edward in surprise. "Why didn't you just wake me up?"

"W-Well, I... You..." Alphonse did look peaceful sleeping along with the fact that Edward had gotten carried away with his own thoughts about him.

Alphonse smiled slyly. "It's alright, brother." He leaned down, sprawling his (very naked) body over Edward's (very naked body) under the covers.

"Ah... Did you sleep well, at least?" Edward asked tentatively, leaning back against the pillows, and immediately wrapping an arm around Al's waist loosely.

"Yes." Alphonse hummed, ghosting his fingers over Ed's bare chest. They had both been holding back from physical affection for so long but, after last night, he didn't want to hold back anymore and he knew that Edward probably didn't want to either. But Alphonse had to admit to himself that he was slightly sore from last night. "It's probably midday by now. We should get ready!" He said instead, sitting up, and moving towards the direction of the bathroom.

"Right. Yeah. You go ahead first, Al." Edward replied, making himself more comfortable against the pillows and the blankets.

Alphonse paused at the doorway, turning around slowly to face his brother. "You know... You can join me if you want." He said, feeling bold.

Edward's eyes instantly sought out Al's. "Really?"

"Really." Alphonse replied back. With that, he sauntered off towards the bathroom intending on taking a pleasantly warm shower with or without Edward though, deep down, he knew his brother would follow him...

Edward did follow him. Alphonse heard the sound of curtains being pulled back. Someone—his brother—stepped onto the floor of the tub and gently placed a hand on Al's shoulder as if to indicate his presence. Brushing a few strands of wet hair aside, Alphonse turned around to wrap his arms around Edward's waist, pulling him under the water. The gesture evoked a chuckle from Edward.

"What's so funny?" Alphonse asked.

"Nothin'..." Edward's laughter subsided into a grin. "I just don't remember the last time we bathed together, that's all."

"Not since we were kids?" Alphonse supplied. Whenever Alphonse reminisced about their childhood, he was reminded of the fact that they were still brothers but going from siblings to lovers was never really the issue since they had always been one step away from it. They were brothers and lovers; Soul mates. Shoving those thoughts to the back of his mind, Alphonse took the initiative by pulling Edward's face closer to his, and kissing him slowly with purpose. His brother responded eagerly to the kiss until Alphonse broke it.

"Isn't the whole purpose of a shower to get clean?"

"You're such a tease!" Edward groaned. "That's not how you should treat your older brother."

"Then how should I treat my older brother?" Al asked, trailing his hands down Edward's back to rest on his hips. The hot, steamy shower along with Edward so close to him made Alphonse feel more than content on the inside.

"Aw, come on! You know what I mean..." Edward pressed his body flush against against Al's. "Don't be such a tease." He repeated.

This time, Alphonse was more than happy to oblige to Edward's wishes when he firmly grasped Edward's cock in his hand, stroking up and down. Edward couldn't help but think that the combination of the hot water trickling down his body and Alphonse's hand was doing wonders to undo him already. Edward bit his lip to suppress a moan, burying his face into the crook of Al's neck.

"Feels good?" Even though a hand job was pretty 'vanilla,' neither of them had any experience in sexual activity in the first place but Alphonse was sure his actions were working with the way Edward started breathing against his collarbone. Since intimacy was a new frontier for them, eliciting soft moans and learning what Edward liked was exciting enough for Alphonse to get lost and let himself go in the sensation as well.

"Y-Yeah." Edward nipped at the skin just above Al's collarbone, entwining his fingers into Alphonse's hair. His own hair was wet; Strands of his fringe stuck to his skin as water droplets trickled down to his eyelashes and his eyes fluttered shut on their own.

Alphonse took that as enough encouragement to continue, letting out a sigh of his own when Edward began nipping at his skin. He kept up with a steady rhythm of strokes, experimentally rubbing over the head. Edward was hard and Alphonse 's own erection was growing against his brother's thigh.

"Shit." Edward paused in his kisses to hiss, his grip tightened in those blonde locks, and he slid one hand down to hold Al's hard on, erratically mimicking Alphonse's movements.

"E-Ed..." Alphonse's breath hitched in his throat. "Slow down or—" The fact that they both reached their climax bit too soon was irrelevant to either of them. What was important right now was sharing the moment, the aftermath, learning each others' bodies for the first time, and (most importantly) being together; Two hearts and soul meshing, becoming one.

"—Fuck." Alphonse groaned, arching his back at the peak of his orgasm. His legs quivered and he leaned on Edward for support who slumped back against the tile wall, eyes squeezed shut, overcoming his own euphoria. They simply held one another—Edward tracing small, soothing circles on Al's back—as their breathing slowed back down to normal.

Alphonse was the first to untangle himself, choosing instead to rest his forehead against Edward's. Amber eyes, similar to his own, stared back until Edward closed the distance between them with a slow but profound kiss filled with meaning and, ultimately, love.

Somehow the two did manage to get clean and Alphonse couldn't agree more that the day had started out perfectly.

...

**Link (without the spaces): elricest . livejournal 816524 . html**


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